Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Multi-Engine Guy

Kmot, yep.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Multi-Engine Guy

Speedracer, well, at least we still Have Saito making the same proven engines. O.S. still has a few, although I am a much bigger fan of their earlier versions of surpass series.
Y.S. obviously still has enough hardcore fans of their engines, and at least they're hanging in there.
I am currently looking for a nice Webra speed 50.
I really don't have an opinion on any of the new crop of stuff,
as I mostly use the older engines. My newest is a Saito 100, although those have been around a while, I just picked up new one a few months ago on Ebay for a really fair price.
Just picked up an ESM/KMP FW190A, which I might get either a Saito 125 or a Y.S. 115. Not sure if one of my O.S. 120 surpasses will be enough for that bird. Although I might give it a try. Honestly this is first plane that I have ever actually considered going to a gasser.
I really like the older series surpasses. Don't have any alpha series engines. Currently rebuilding and converting
two O.S. 120 Surpass ii's into the non-pumped E's.

Not really "New Crop" but my friend and fellow club member
Mike Greenshields has just brought back the Magnum line of Engines. I know, Magnum. There was a time when I considered them only useful as paperweights, but they are actually pretty decent, and have come a long way. Very reliable and powerful and they're facsimiles of the old surpass line(Almost, only some parts are interchangeable, not many).
One of my side hobbies is just scouring ebay for killer bargains on these older engines(Don't we all?).
I have picked up a number of brand new never been run engines that were described as "lightly used". There are so many people selling stuff that haven't got a clue of what it is. That's where the bargains can be found. I avoid engine and kit Collectors like the plague.
. Those people have Illusions of grandeur!
That's about for me, just mostly fly older four stroke stuff.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

hsukaria

I heard that the OS FSR series were the best OS, but how about the SF series? I have a 46SF with ringed piston. It is a really nice engine, I like it more than the FX or AX series. The closest thing to the OS FSR engines I have is a pair of Irvine 40 ABC engines, the older ones without the red paint. They are incredibly easy to use without sensitivity to fuel blends. I have run anywhere from 0 - 15% nitro with good performance.

Recently I got into a small plane craze and built a few 15-size hand-launch planes with engines like Norvel 15 (bushing and ball bearing versions), OS 15 LA, AP 15 Yellowjacket, and an old Magnum 10. I was surprised how easy and powerful these little engines are. Flying those little planes is a real ball, as long as you keep them close enough to see them. I was fortunate enough to buy a pair of AP 15's before they were sadly discontinued by Hobby King.

The big acquisition I made recently is a Novarossi R61F SPEED/13 with the long tuned pipe. I have not run it yet since I don't have a plane for it. I hope to build a Deception/Exception classic pattern plane for it someday. I purchased the engine with the 10mm carb, but I don't know if that will have throttle transition problems with the pipe. Does anybody know if there would be a problem with this carb/pipe selection and that I really need the 9mm carb with the adjustable in-flight mixture control? I could find a pump/regulator instead but I would hate to drill a pressure tap on such a pretty engine.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

hsukaria

This is a rear exhaust with 4-ports. I was going to run it with an smaller 11.x7 prop. That is what they are calling for. Would that make a difference for carb selection?

Multi-Engine Guy

I started flying R/C in 1984. The FSR series were still being made until around '86. I bought my first O.S. after working my up from Thunder Tiger through K&B's.
My first O.S. choice was made because of recommendations by experienced pilots at the field.
It was 1989 and the engine was an O.S. 46sf ABC.
I've never owned an older fsr series one, so I don't have an opinion on them. But my friends sure liked them.
I will never forget my first flight with my Sig Kougar mkii
after I switched from the stock muffler to a Macs tuned pipe. A friend of mine helped me cut down the header in small increments until the pipe was just starting to come on,
he said the the pipe should fully come to life in the air as the engine unloaded. And boy did it!
At least twice the engine! My nice little. 46 turned into the
Incredible Hulk!
I still have that same engine and still fly it!
From 1997 through 2015, it was in my trusty daily flyer, a Patriot 40. 120-130mph all day long!
Currently it's in a fly boys Me 163 Komet.
It's been rebuilt countless times. Just bearings, gaskets and o-rings. The compression is as good today as it was in 1989!
Over the years I have picked up a few more. One just last week. I now have eleven
I will soon have two in a G&P sales F7f Tigercat and two in a Royal P-38. All of these will use Bison mufflers.
So obviously my choice of what I would consider the best two strokes that O.S. ever made would be the S.F. series.

hsukaria

I assume that the tuned pipe you used was not a Quiet Pipe since you were getting that much boost? Did you have throttle transition issues with it? It did not need a pump/regulator? I have a couple of 40-size Macs muffled pipes that I am debating to use them sometime.

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

I have an OS 61FX, it weighs 550 grams, the same as my Saito 100, with mufflers (s) the OS weighs more, I also have a K&B 100, less mufflers it weighs only 1.2oz more than my OS, with mufflers the K&B weighs 2.2oz more,,
I bought the OS new, and then some 5 or 6 years later sold it, then some 4 years later bought it back, I wanted the ShoeString it was mounted in, well I never was impressed with the 61FX power.. I still have the ShoeString and I have bought a NIB OS 70SZ Heli engine to replace the 61,, an new OS 70SZ for $115 shipped was an exultant deal, it should do the job well.

I found the OS Hyper 50 Heli engines to be powerful and run and run and run with no real trouble, I have 2 of them with less than 3 gallons run threw them, but the cheap bearings OS used in them would rust very quickly, I replaced the bearings in both my 50s and one engine sets in a World Models P-40 awaiting for the spring.

I still have the FX, I replaced the bearings with stock NTN replacement bearings, the liner and piston are fine, but I ran it for 2 tanks on the bench and the new front bearing started to leak a bit on the 3rd tank, I then sat the engine aside, it's for sale

Jim

hsukaria

I have an OS 61FX on a Great Planes Dirty Birdy ARF. It wasn't by choice, it came cheap with the purchase. I don't mind its performance, seems ok for the plane. But it is quite heavy and I had to add weight to the tail despite moving the battery behind the wing. I have not run it long enough to find out about the bearing wear. I'm using a MACs Quiet Muffler with it. I would prefer a lighter engine with same performance to lighten up the airframe.

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

if you want a 2stroke I guess you could buy the new OS 55 AX, but, the Saito 82 weighs 6oz less than the 61FX (< both with mufflers),, you would have to prop the Saito different, but never the less it has a higher power to weight ratio than the 61FX and will use less fuel of course.. the Saito 82a with APC props you would have to use a 13x8, or maybe a 14x6, or maybe a 12x10,,

you can see the Saito 82 and 61Fx weights in my links,

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXBY46

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...3A-ab-saie082b

Jim

Multi-Engine Guy

hsukaria, You're right, not the quiet pipe.
. No throttle transition problems except letting it idle for too long before takeoff, it will every so often load up and quit, since I always set the main needle on the fat side using pipes. I want to see some smoke to make sure that it's running cool.
. Going lean at the rpms its turning with a tuned pipe will
Usually be a problem.
. Otherwise, no transition problems, seems to use the full range of rpms. Just a lot more rpms.
This is all done with the stock 4D carburetor and no pump.
. I have wanted to try the big carb and pump, but I am pretty sure that it's being ringed out as much as it can already.
I know one thing, my friend that had one those always had less flight time than me. And I usually only flew for about 5 minutes with Patriot .

Multi-Engine Guy

The FX series went away for good reasons.

hsukaria

I have a couple of Saito FA-82's being used in a couple of 3D planes. I have to admit that I don't fly them enough for being so good. Everytime I fly one of those planes, I get amazed all over again. I might sell off one of those airframes, U Can Do 3D 46 (what a name!!) and Reactor 46. They are both well used but I hardly get to fly the U Can Do because it doesn't like the wind too much.
Is total power of the Saito 82 comparable to the OS 61FX? The 61FX gives good high speed for the classic pattern planes it's on, but less torque than the Saito 82 of course.

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

I have read that others feel the same about the 61FX..

Jim

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

I would say the Saito is more powerful than the FX, it's just that the Saito puts more power at a lower RPM, there is no way an OS 61FX will turn an APC 13x7 at 10,500


if you want more speed from the Saito you will have to run a 12x9 or 12x10,, but you will have to run a higher Idle with the smaller prop, you can see some Saito 82 Prop/RPM numbers in this link,
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/tach...to-fa-82a.html

Jim

aspeed

A bit of weeping at the front bearing is a preferred thing. It means there is lube going to it. Too much can be solved by having a groove between the front bearing and the hole that goes to the carb. Just a scratch is fine. The carb will slurp it up every revolution. Some manufacturers have the groove in at the factory, or a tiny hole behind the bearing that goes to the carb. hole. Lots of guys don't like the mess at the front bearing so the manufacturers do that. Then some guys complain because the motor won't shut down because of the slight air leak. If you are tired of the motor though, go ahead and sell it. The FXs are good enough motors if the plating sticks.

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

aspeed

I had an old Supertiger .40 with a worn bearing. The case had a noticeable amount of slop. Still ran fine with no leaks after a new bearing. Really I have not needed to replace that many bearings considering the number of motors I have and the years. Have quite a few Thunder Tigers and Ucktams with big leaks. They all run good except one TT .07 which won't hold a setting..

Multi-Engine Guy

I agree about there not being a problem with a leaky front bearing. After I am finished flying for the day, I don't stop turning my prop by hand with a planes nose pointing downwards, until I start to see some of my after run oil coming through the front bearing.
I believe it was the FX series that had the cylinder liners that were peeling. That's not good.
I have only had one of my O.S.46sf ABC's, that I recently purchased used, that actually had some liner peeling.
It actually looks more like gouges, as if it might have ingested something.
But I have not heard or read anything really positive about the FX series.
Never owned one, so I don't speak from my own personal experience with them, but I'm kinda glad that I never bought one.

aspeed

I have not run my .46 FX enough to make a judgement, but have picked up quite a few OSs over the years from swap meets just when they are priced well. Normally they are pretty good. I have a few with peeled liners that came that way. An FP .40 has peeled almost all the nickel away but still runs good oddly enough. An LA .40 had started to peel, and has a crumbly backplate, I machined up an aluminum one. An SX .32 peeled with a bad bearing. They were all less than $20 so I don't mind. Probably have 30 or so good ones. I am particularly happy with my AX .46, never misses a beat and idles like a motorcycle. The LA series stuff is great too. .10, .15 .25, 40, and .46 are all as strong as the older ball bearing offerings before schneurle came out, and they are lighter. The LAs seem out of favour now so there are great deals on them. I think the peeling problems were just a learning curve. Maybe not prepared right, needed an etch or better cleaning. The ones I have seem too thin. That is my guess for the cause.

Multi-Engine Guy

aspeed, Ah, the AX series! I actually have one myself!
I always forget about it because it's still in the used Lanier F-86 prop jet that I picked up from my friends hobby shop in Redding a couple of summers ago.
I have yet to run it, as my intentions are to install retracts into it( Why would anyone design a plane like that with just fixed gear?).
But my friends who have the .46's and especially the .55's
rave about their power and reliability!
Good on O.S. For this series!

Multi-Engine Guy

Since the AX series was brought up, can anyone tell me how they take to a tuned pipe system?